


Hope Lives

by gennalannisters



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 11:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22609381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gennalannisters/pseuds/gennalannisters
Summary: This AU story takes place right after the Battle of Exegol, Rey and Ben have just defeated Palpatine and they are both seriously injured but not mortally wounded. When all hope is lost for them as there is no one coming to get them, old friends of the past come to their aid.  N.B. #BenSoloLives!
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 9
Kudos: 11
Collections: For one is both and both are one in love: The Reylo Fanfiction Anthology's Valentine's Day Exchange





	1. A New Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aNerdObsessed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aNerdObsessed/gifts).

> First of all, I want to thank my beta-reader, @RebelRebel, and the Fic Exchange Mods because without them this story wouldn't have to be possible or readable. Thank you RebelRebel for your help in proof-reading my fic, your time, patience and kindness in making my fic possible.  
Last but not least, the person this fic is for, I hope you enjoy this story.

Two translucent blue figures watched attentively with quiet relief as their arch-enemy, Palpatine, who had hunted their family for generations, was obliterated out of existence for good. At long last. 

The two figures, father and son, also noticed how the two young Jedi responsible for Palpatine's welcomed execution collapsed to the ground. The two young Jedi collapsed side by side, their life completely drained out.

"I never knew that Palpatine had hunted Ben all his life. Why didn't I suspect it at all?" a remorseful Luke Skywalker said.

"You could have never known. That was his specialty, to hide in plain sight and manipulate his targets," Anakin Skywalker noted with both bitterness and frustration. "The worst part was that he blocked me from reaching out to you!" 

"Or any of us!" A ghostly third figure appeared.

"Old Ben!" Luke said with welcome surprise.

"You know that calling me that makes me feel ancient! I am old but not that old!" Obi-Wan teased. 

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin looked at his old friend with a smile as he approached the old Jedi Master. Obi-Wan welcomed his former Padawan and friend with a smile and a quick hug.

Luke watched the two older men greet each other with warmth and familiarity. Then his eyes turned back to Ben and Rey as he felt their presence in the Force slowly disappear. 

"They’re dying," Luke noted quietly, sadness in his eyes.

Although Luke spoke softly, both Anakin and Obi-Wan heard him. Together, they made their way towards him. 

Luke knelt beside his nephew on Ben's left side. Had Ben always been this young? he wondered. Observing his nephew now brought back shameful and painful memories of the last time he had watched his nephew sleep.

Anakin approached the young woman as her body lay still on the floor. A fellow desert dweller as he had once been. The scavenger from Jakku. A nobody. Rey of Jakku who had no reason to join the war but still did because it was the right thing to do. That alone was commendable and admirable. 

Anakin felt gratitude to this stranger because she had become what his grandson, Ben Solo, and what Luke, his son, had once been. Hope. A lifetime ago, when he, as Darth Vader, had lost all hope and resigned himself to his cursed fate, it was his son Luke who had reminded him of the fact that he had always known (but was in denial) deep in his heart — Darth Vader had been just a mask hiding the broken man, Anakin Skywalker. 

His son whom he had barely known and had every reason to hate him, had reached out to him and accepted him as his father and the machine man he became as Darth Vader. Luke had embraced it all, with love, understanding, and compassion. It was all this that had helped him stand up to his master, Darth Sidious. 

Anakin had never met his grandson but had known, guiltily, how Ben had tried to live up to his dark legacy and the price he paid for it. How he wished to have been able to warn Ben about Palpatine and the Dark Side, how it was not worth the price. Anakin had known the price he had paid for succumbing to the Dark Side, how that had broken his beloved Padme’s heart which ultimately killed her and how the knowledge and guilt ate away at him over the following 20 years. 

“Father,” his son’s words broke Anakin from his reverie and he looked up. “Are you well?”

“I am, son. I know how futile it is to think of past mistakes but I can’t help feeling regret and shame. I have cast a long dark shadow over not just you and your sister’s life, but over my grandson’s.”

“Father, it is not your fault. I am to blame for creating Kylo Ren and all that came after. My mistake was not only betraying Ben but also abandoning him when he needed me the most. I should have ran after him, told Leia and Han what I had done and made amends. But what did I do? I ran away and exiled myself from not just the Force, but my family and friends.” Luke then looked towards his father and Rey, “Rey made me realise how cowardly and selfish I was.” 

“I understand you both might want to catch up on lost time, but right now is not the time and place to do so,” Obi-Wan interjected, “These two are dying.”

“If we use the Force, do you think it will work? What will happen to us?” Luke asked.

“Neither Ben nor Rey are dead yet, but they surely will be if you two don’t make up your minds now. They are barely between life and death, like someone in a comatose state, there is still some hope. It will be a gamble but if it works, both Ben and Rey might have a second chance at living. What becomes of you two, I don’t know if I’m honest, but we can hope and pray that we will all be reunited again in the future, possibly once Ben and Rey’s lives have run their courses.”

Obi-Wan knew that this was not a question of whether Luke or Anakin would give up their afterlives for the young Jedi pair; he could tell the deep love and respect they felt for them.

Luke looked at his nephew and caressed his cheek, “I’m sorry, Ben, for failing you and all the pain it caused you.” Quiet tears streamed down his face. Just when he thought he was beyond the point of crying, there they were as he prayed that this last act would work. He felt contrite over his ultimate failures but hoped for his nephew’s forgiveness even if he knew that he was undeserving. At least Ben would get a second chance at living his life for the first time and his sister would have a chance to reconcile with her estranged son. Knowing that he could give Ben a second chance at a new life was reassuring to him, and that was enough.

Anakin and Obi-Wan watched Luke ebb away, and they both instantly felt Ben’s once fading Force presence surge back to life. Anakin knew that all this would be null if he failed at doing his part — his son had done his part and now it was his turn. It felt odd to give up one’s life Force for a complete stranger but said stranger’s selfless sacrifice had not only saved the galaxy but his grandson. He reached out to touch Rey’s cheek and thanked her with all of his heart for everything she had done for his family. 

Obi-Wan observed quietly as his old friend Anakin’s Force ghost and presence disappeared. Again, he felt how Rey’s once fading Force presence ignited back to life. His friends’ gamble and sacrifice had worked. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw Ben's body stir slowly as if waking up from a long nap. 

Slowly, Ben opened his eyes to the night sky. His body felt bruised and broken. It was this knowledge and the pain that made him quickly remember what had happened, where he was and Rey. 

He sat up as quickly as his beaten-up body allowed him but didn’t have to look too far before seeing her. A feet’s distance perhaps, he only needed to walk over to her to see if she was alright. Ben tried to stand up but he felt a sharp pain shooting through his right side, he must have broken something when he had fallen against the chains and perhaps adrenaline had powered him until his final confrontation with Palpatine. If he couldn’t walk, he would crawl. 

As he made it over to Rey’s still body, he reached out for her hand. Her pulse was weak, but constant. He sat down and pulled her into his arms, his eyes tearing up and his body trembling. She couldn’t leave him now. He released her from his hug, “You need to hang in there, Rey,” he said, shaking her. 

He caressed her face and closed his eyes to calm himself. He couldn’t help her if he let his emotions run wild. Gently, he lay his right hand on Rey’s abdomen. Focus, he reminded himself, but before he could quiet his restless emotions he felt Rey’s hand reach out for his right. He let out a sigh of relief and opened his eyes, to see for himself that what he felt was real. He watched Rey blink a few times before turning to him and he helped her sit up. 

“Ben,” she said softly with such sweetness that he would have thought he was dreaming if not for the fact that she had reached out with her left hand to caress the left side of his face.

Rey felt disoriented when she regained consciousness but felt comfort and reassurance feeling strong arms around her. Opening her eyes confirmed what she already knew — that it was Ben’s arms that held her. Relief and elation surged through her. Ben, whom she had longed for and loved all this time, had finally turned to the Light and had come for her. She couldn’t contain her joy; she wanted to caress his face and feel his luscious hair. She also noticed how the old scar on his right cheek she had given to the once Kylo Ren had completely healed. 

They both looked into each other’s eyes and she couldn’t believe how expressive his eyes were and how his demeanor had changed completely. His eyes were the only consistent feature between Ben Solo and Kylo Ren. Those eyes that had been the window that had let her see through the cracks in Kylo Ren’s mask and let her see the real man behind it — Ben Solo. It was Ben Solo who she had fallen in love with and who she had put her faith in. It was Ben Solo who she would gladly give her heart to. It was Ben Solo she would kiss. 

And she did.


	2. Healing

Rey had finally kissed Ben, but she had to take a brief moment to break away — to check again that this was all real, that her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her. She took a moment to caress his face and appreciate his joyous grin. 

She wanted to kiss him again before they both heard someone clear their throat. This took them by surprise as she jumped in Ben's lap and he instantly tightened his hold on her and pulled her towards him in a protective manner. They both turned towards the source of the intrusion and saw a ghostly blue figure, a Force ghost. 

Ben hadn't seen a Force ghost in person but he remembered his uncle telling him about it a lifetime ago during his Padawan days. Rey had seen a Force ghost before, but not this one. Before Rey could ask this Force ghost anything, Ben beat her to it faster.

"Who are you?" Ben asked this Force ghost, his voice tense and blunt.

"A family friend who also happens to be your namesake, Ben," the ghostly figure replied.

"Old Ben Kenobi," Ben said flatly.

"Wait! Did you mean Obi-an Kenobi?! The old Jedi Master?" Rey couldn't quite contain her childish glee at this revelation. 

Ben didn’t share Rey’s glee at the old Jedi Master. Obi-Wan didn’t blame the boy if he was suspicious and angry. After a lifetime of manipulation and torment by Palpatine, Obi-Wan knew he would have to earn the boy’s trust and assure him he meant well to both of them. In spite of knowing that he and his fellow Jedi brothers had been powerless to stop Palpatine, he promised himself that he would watch over Ben from here forward. 

“As I said, I am here in peace to help you as a friend. Two dear friends have asked me to pass on a message to you both.” Obi-Wan said.

“Who are these ‘ dear friends’ of yours?” Ben asked sharply as he looked Obi-Wan over.

“Anakin and Luke Skywalker,” Obi-Wan replied in a quiet and sad voice.

“Really? Where are they now?” Ben demanded.

“Well, asleep I hope. Deeply asleep.” Obi-Wan remarked dryly.

“What do you mean?” Ben asked.

“When you two fought and annihilated Palpatine, both of you were at death’s door. Anakin and Luke gave up their Force ghost presence for you both.” Obi-Wan replied.

“Why would they do that?” Ben asked.

“Because they loved and respected you both,” Obi-Wan said, looking them both in the eyes, then he turned towards Ben. “Ben, your grandfather wished he had been able to warn you about Palpatine and the Dark Side of the Force. Your uncle, in spite of his failings and weakness, loved you. His biggest regret was abandoning you when you needed him the most. He knew that you would never forgive him for his betrayal. He never felt you should forgive him, he respects and accepts that you are angry and grudgeful towards him. You are right in feeling that way but he hoped that you, in time, you might forgive him.”

“Really? The cheek of that old man! After everything that I have endured and been through all my life,” Ben said sardonically.

Obi-Wan knew that he couldn’t push his case now with Ben, he needed time. Many underestimated how important time was for learning and healing. Time taught you to reflect and be patient, it taught you new points of view and perspectives and, above all, it taught you to forgive yourself for past mistakes or perceived ones. Obi-Wan had once hated himself over his ‘failures’ after Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side and all that had happened after. He hoped that in time Ben would learn this, he hoped that Ben would not snap at the mere mention of Luke’s name, and he hoped that in time Ben would find peace and happiness.

Obi-Wan turned towards Rey and noticed that one her hands was resting on Ben’s left shoulder, in an almost reassuring and comforting manner, she had managed to get his attention. They both exchanged looks, like some secret language that only they understood. Whatever message had been exchanged, it seemed to soothe Ben’s anger and uneasiness. 

“Rey, both Anakin and Luke are grateful for everything you did.” He saw Rey look a bit incredulous, “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing up and defending and protecting peace and democracy in the Galaxy. You risked your life for all this, too.”

Rey seemed a bit taken aback by Obi-Wan’s heartfelt gratitude, “Hmmm, your welcome.”

“You said that Anakin and Luke ‘gave up their Force Ghost presence’ for us? How did they do that? Where are they now?” Ben asked.

“It is hard to explain how it worked, but it did. Their gamble paid off. You are both alive now.” Obi-Wan said.

“What do you mean it’s ‘hard to explain’?” Ben asked.

“As far as I know, it had never been done before. Maybe it was but never recorded?” Obi-Wan added with a shrug. “All that matters is that you are here now.” He smiled as he looked at both of them.

“Where are they now?” Rey asked.

“At peace. I can’t say for sure, but neither of you have to worry about it. All you need to think about now is living your lives and making the most of them.” Obi-Wan replied.

“Wait, does this mean they are inside us?!?” Ben said, alarmed.

“No, because this has sent them into a deep sleep from which they’ll wake up once your lives have run their courses.”

“You expect me to believe that when you said you don’t know how this worked?”

“Not fully. Only in theory, not in practice,” Obi-Wan added sheepishly.

Ben and Rey looked at him, trying to read him to see if he was lying to them, and he decided to use this opportunity to make his exit. “Well, you take care. See you around, kids.”

And just like that, the ghostly blue figure of the old Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, disappeared from the crumbling ruins of the Sith temple. 

Ben felt slightly annoyed at the ghostly apparition they had just met and he did not share Rey’s childish glee at meeting the fabled Jedi Master. 

“Ben,” Rey said softly as she caressed his right cheek again and gave him another kiss, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and restind her face on his chest. He reciprocated Rey’s hug and leaned his head against hers. 

They both suddenly heard the crashing sound of pieces of the Sith temple falling around them and broke away from their embrace to see what was going on. They both nodded, agreeing that they had to leave this place soon if they did not want to be buried alive in it. They stood up; Rey was quick in locating their lightsabers but for Ben, there was that sharp pain shooting through his right side. He tried to ignore it — right now they had to get out and he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Rey. Or, worse still, burden her.

They both made it outside where their respective ships were, holding each other’s hands to ensure that the other wasn’t left behind. When Ben thought he had managed to hide the pain in his right side, he stumbled and fell on the ground. Rey’s tight grip on his hand meant she was dragged down with him. 

“Ben! Are you hurt?” Rey asked as she observed too late that Ben was in a lot of pain. Sensing her gaze, Ben quickly tried to pretend he wasn’t. How couldn't she feel or see it sooner?

“Not really,” Ben tried to dismiss it but Rey was not having any of it. She poked him in the right side and Ben’s facade of aloofness disintegrated, leaving only anguish.

“We need to get you to a medical centre now! The Resistance base has one, they will help you,” Rey told Ben confidently.

“Rey, are you sure you want us to be together?” he asked.

“What sort of question is that? After everything we have been through you ask me this now!?” Rey sounded incredulous and slightly annoyed.

“Have you forgotten what I am, who I am and what I’ve done?” Ben challenged her. 

“Of course I haven’t forgotten.” Rey retorted.

“You haven’t forgotten that I’m also Kylo Ren.”

“No, you are wrong. Kylo Ren is dead. Ben Solo is alive. Without Ben Solo, this war would have been lost. I will tell them and they will come to see the Light in you,” Rey added as she caressed his cheek.

“Rey, I still think it is not a good idea for me to show up to the Resistance base — remember that we were fighting a war on opposite sides. I was the Supreme Leader of the First Order; responsible for some of your Resistance friends’ suffering and deaths. Even if I was not directly involved, I would have likely given the order for attacks on the Resistance and your allies.”

“You are not responsible for all their deaths. Snoke and Hux were,” Rey argued back. 

“I might not have pulled the trigger on the Starkiller Base destruction on the Hosnian System but I was witness to it and chose to do nothing.”

“Ben, even if you say this, in the end you turned and helped to win the war. Surely, that should be what matters.”

“Rey, you might not know a lot of our Galaxy’s history but this is not how real wars work. In real wars, the winning side will always want to hold those on the losing side accountable. Be it by giving them a trial that can be fair or not, or be it by someone carrying out justice on their own terms.”

“I will never let them hurt you, Ben. I will tell them that the war was all but lost if it wasn’t for you! You will see that they will understand. Don’t you believe me?” Rey asked. Ben sensed both fear and sadness in Rey’s voice. He felt deeply touched by Rey’s words; he was unused to someone telling him things like this. Ben was used to people abandoning and fearing him. But Rey was different — she was patient, loyal and protective. 

“I believe you, Rey, not them. I don’t know them. They are not my friends. I couldn’t care less if I’m honest. But you do, you know them and they are your friends.” Ben told her bluntly. “You know that if you choose to stay with me, that many of your Resistance friends might stop being your friends. They might feel betrayed by you. Because you will be with the enemy.”

“Do you think my heart is so weak that I will change my mind just because they won’t like the man I want to share my life with? I respect and care for them, but respect is a two-way street and if they choose not to respect my decision then they were never my friends in the first place.” Rey said matter-of-factly.

“Rey, not being with me might mean that you’d have a peaceful life.”

“I know but my life would be meaningless without you, Ben. In the year that we were apart, I learned that you are very dear to me and that I couldn’t live without you. Your absence felt like a hole in my chest that nothing else could fill.”

“I felt that too, Rey.”


	3. Family

Ben felt slightly annoyed at the ghostly apparition they had just met and he did not share Rey’s childish glee at meeting the fabled Jedi Master. 

“Ben,” Rey said softly as she caressed his right cheek again and gave him another kiss, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her face on his chest. He reciprocated Rey’s hug, leaning his head against hers. 

Suddenly, they both heard the crashing sound of pieces of the Sith temple falling around them. They broke away from their embrace, nodding in agreement that they had to leave this place soon if they did not want to be buried alive. They stood — Rey was quick in locating their lightsabers but thanks to a sharp pain shooting through his right side, Ben was a bit slower. He tried to ignore it — right now they had to get out and he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Rey. Or, worse still, burden her.

They both made it outside where their respective ships were, holding each other’s hands to ensure that the other wasn’t left behind. Just when Ben thought he had managed to hide the pain in his right side, he stumbled and fell on the ground. Rey held tight to his hand so she was dragged down with him. 

“Ben! Are you hurt?” Rey asked as she observed too late that Ben was in a lot of pain. Sensing her gaze, Ben quickly tried to pretend he was not in pain. How couldn't she feel or see it sooner?

“Not really,” Ben tried to dismiss it but Rey was not having any of it. She poked him on the right side and Ben’s facade of aloofness dissolved into pain.

“We need to get you to a medical centre now! The Resistance base has one, they will help you,” Rey told Ben confidently.

“Rey, are you sure you want us to be together?” he asked.

“What sort of question is that? After all we have been through you ask me this now!?” Rey sounded incredulous and slightly annoyed.

“Have you forgotten what I am, who I am and what I’ve done?” Ben challenged her. 

“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Rey retorted.

“You haven’t forgotten that I am also Kylo Ren.”

“No, you are wrong. Kylo Ren is dead. Ben Solo is alive. Without Ben Solo this war would have been lost. I will tell them and they will come to see the Light in you,” Rey added, caressing his cheek.

“Rey, I still think it is not a good idea for me to show up the Resistance base — remember that we were fighting a war on opposite sides. I was the Supreme Leader of the First Order, responsible for some of your Resistance friends’ suffering and deaths. Even if I was not directly involved, I would have likely given the order for attacks on the Resistance and your allies.”

“You are not responsible for all their deaths. Snoke and Hux were.” Rey argued back. 

“I might not have pulled the trigger on the Starkiller Base destruction on the Hosnian System but I was witness to it and chose to do nothing.”

“Ben, even if you say this, in the end you turned and helped to win the war. Surely, that should be what matters, no?”

“Rey, you might not know a lot of our Galaxy’s history but this is not how real wars work. In real wars, the winning side will always want those on the losing side accountable. Be it by giving them a trial that can be fair or not, or be it by someone carrying out justice on their own terms.”

“I will never let them hurt you, Ben. I will tell them that the war was all but lost if it wasn’t for you! You will see that they will understand. Don’t you believe me?” Rey said. Ben sensed both fear and sadness in Rey’s voice. He felt deeply touched by Rey’s words; he was unused to the idea of someone telling him things like this. Ben was used to people abandoning and fearing him. But Rey was different — she was patient, loyal and protective. 

“I believe you, Rey, not them. I don’t know them. They are not my friends. I couldn’t care less if I’m honest. But you do, you know them and they are your friends.” Ben told her bluntly. “You know that if you choose to stay with me, that my many of your Resistance friends might stop being your friends. They might feel betrayed by you. Because you will be with the enemy.”

“Do you think my heart is so weak that I will change my mind just because they won’t like the man I want to share my life with? I respect and care for them, but respect is a two-way street and if they choose not to respect my decision then they were never my friends in the first place,” Rey said matter-of-factly.

“Rey, not being with me might mean that you might have a peaceful life.”

“I know but my life would be meaningless without you, Ben. In the year that we were apart I learned that you are very special to me and that I couldn’t live without you. Your absence felt like a hole in my chest that nothing could fill.”

"I felt the same, Rey," Ben admitted. "Why didn't you join me?" Ben wondered if Rey understood her feelings for him.

"I know that Ben Solo and Kylo Ren are one and the same man. I know you have done terrible things that you feel ashamed of, like killing your father. I know that you also did other terrible things as a Knight of Ren. I also accept your past and how the past events shaped you into the man you are now. What happened happened and you can’t go undo any of it, but you can now choose how you to live your life. We have been given a second a chance at living,” she said, reaching out for his hand. “I don’t know what you want to do but we won’t be alone anymore.”

Ben couldn’t help smiling at that, feeling comfort from Rey’s confession. He wished to ruminate on her words but right now was not the time or place. 

“You still need to go to a medical centre.” Rey sounded like she would not take ‘no’ as an answer.

“There must be some medical centre in some system near here.” Ben wondered aloud.

“Then we will go there,” Rey said as she helped him back on his feet and towards his ship. “Are you sure you will be fine?” she said as she eased him into his seat.

“I will,” he assured her “I will use the Force to help me.”

Rey looked at him to see if he was hiding his pain and then turned her attention to the flying console and started entering some coordinates. “We could try Takodana for a medical centre, what do you think?”

“Aren’t you going to check on your Resistance friends?” Ben asked. At this, Rey turned to him and said, “They can wait. I want to see that you get looked at by a medical droid.” She turned back to the console and pressed a couple of keys before saying, “Done.” Ben saw the console screen show how the coordinates Rey had just typed in were sent to her ship.

She turned to him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before saying, “Keep in touch and see in Takodana.”

He saw her run towards her ship and enter it. He began preparing the flying console, readying for take-off. 

The trip to Takodana was relatively smooth, they didn’t encounter any problems on their journey there. Ben wasn’t surprised that people across the Galaxy were celebrating their ‘victory.’ 

Once they found the medical centre, Rey insisted the medical droids examine Ben first. Thankfully, Ben convinced her to get herself seen too. She conceded after the medical droid confirmed that he had broken a few ribs on his right side and his hip. To his relief, Rey’s injuries were not too serious — she was only bruised, as if she had been in a street brawl, and she had a couple of cuts. He hesitated when the medical droid informed him that they would need to put him under general anesthesia to fix his broken bones but Rey assured him that she would be with him all the way and that he had nothing to worry about; that she would watch over him. Easy for Rey to say, but the prospect of being sedated was not something that he would readily agree to even if it was a necessity. Even years after Luke’s betrayal he still sometimes got nightmares about it. Still, he allowed it — Rey held his hand and he felt his consciousness slowly drift away into oblivion.

The moment after Ben had been fully anaesthetised the medical droids ushered her out of the operating theater much to her chagrin. She knew that Ben’s life was on the line here and couldn’t risk putting it at risk by arguing with the medical droids. Rey settled for standing right outside. To her surprise, another medical droid came over to her and told her to go to another room to get her wounds treated. She tried to argue but in the end the medical droid won because they put forward a good argument that if she got treated now, while Ben’s operation was underway, it would mean that she would be treated and wouldn’t have to leave Ben’s side while he was recuperating after his operation.

Rey’s treatment lasted less than an hour but Ben’s was over two hours, as he had suffered a lot of serious injuries in Exegol. He was assigned to his own convalescing room, which, despite being small, had the necessities essential for the convalenced and their family member: a fold-in bed, a sofa chair, a wardrobe with some basic clothes (underwear, sleepwear and socks), a bathroom with shower, a small cover and a fridge with food and other amenities. 

By the time Ben had come out of surgery, Rey had showered and been treated with bacta. The medical droids had woken up Ben after the operation to ensure he was well, then gave him some painkillers to ease the pain which would definitely set in once the anesthesia wore off. As a result, Ben drifted off into a deep sleep for the next three days. In that time, Rey barely slept — she was afraid for Ben. There was something disconcerting about how vulnerable he looked while asleep that made her want to put her guard up to protect him — Ben, who was unbelievably strong and possessed such an imposing figure. 

When Ben woke up, he felt a bit lost about where he was, but quickly realised that he was in one of the medical centre’s private recuperating rooms. He tried sitting up, which he just about managed through gritted teeth. The medical droids might have fixed all his broken bones but now he would have to put up with the pain. He looked around to see the compact and clinical room, and Rey. Rey was sitting on the sofa chair with his black jumper on her lap and a small sewing kit on the armrest. She looked well; clearly, she had received treatment and was wearing clean clothes.

“Ben,” Rey said as she turned to look at him. She walked towards him, “You should be in resting.”

“I’ve rested enough, let’s get out of here.”

“Ben, let the medical droid confirm that you can leave and then we can go.”

“I just don’t like being here,” Ben confessed.

“We’ll be fine, Ben,” Rey said as she sat on the side of his hospital bed, “I called Finn the other day to assure him that all was well and not to worry; that we would see each other again.”

“Really, you think he would believe you just like that?” Ben asked, incredulous.

“Yes, I told him I needed to do some things first before joining them.”

“You should go to them, Rey.”

“Not until the medical droids are happy to discharge you from the medical centre.”

“Rey, the truth is that I don’t want to go. I don’t want to see any members of the Resistance right now. My mother just died and I want to avoid trouble. I need time to rest and reflect on all this, I want to be able to grieve for my family privately without being challenged or judged.” Rey wrapped her arms around him, a bit too tightly.

“Ouch,” he whispered. Rey instantly loosened her hold, but kept her arms around his shoulders. “I’m sorry, was that a bit too tight?” Rey asked, embarrassed.

“It’s fine, Rey,” Ben reassured her, reaching out to caress her cheek. She blushed slightly. “I know these people are important to you, I don’t plan on running away from them but just for now I will hold back from meeting them. I promise you that we will face them together as family.”

“Family,” Rey said the word with a certain shyness, “As husband and wife?” She smiled. “Is that what being a dyad in the Force means?”

“Yes, it is. One soul in two bodies, sweetheart.” And they kissed.

While neither had had the chance to talk about it, they both felt overwhelming comfort and happiness at being able to finally confess their feelings; they no longer had to resist their yearning for each other. They would see to becoming husband and wife, officially. A family.


End file.
